Quick answer
On most Side boat trips drinks are pay-on-board, not in the ticket. We explain when an all-inclusive drinks package beats paying per drink, how to check what your trip includes, and where to see the live price on each tour page before you book.
On most boat trips in Side, drinks are pay-on-board rather than built into the ticket, so the price you book online usually covers the boat, crew and transfer, and you settle the bar tab onboard. Some trips instead sell an all-inclusive drinks package. A package pays off on long, social days; if you only want a couple of soft drinks, paying per drink is cheaper. Compare every option on our boat trips in Side page.
What your boat trip ticket actually covers
We run these boats along the Side, Manavgat, Antalya, Alanya, Belek and Kemer coast, and the pattern is consistent: the ticket price you pay on the tour day covers the vessel, the crew, and your hotel transfer. Drinks are a separate onboard cost on most shared trips. That's why the same sea day can cost about EUR 20-25 per person to board while the bar tab is entirely up to you.
The number on each product page is the real, live one; anything in this article is an approximate band to help you plan.
Why drinks are usually pay-on-board, not in the ticket
Keeping drinks off the ticket keeps the headline price low and fair. A family with two kids who mostly want water and soft drinks shouldn't subsidise a group that plans to spend the afternoon at the bar. On a shared sea trip such as our Side pirate boat tour, you board for a set fare and then buy what you actually drink onboard. It's the honest way to price a day where thirst varies wildly from one guest to the next.
The exception is trips sold specifically as all-inclusive drinks days. On those, the drinks package is baked in and stated clearly on the tour page. When it isn't stated, assume drinks are pay-on-board and budget separately.
Pay-per-drink vs all-inclusive drinks package
Here's the honest trade-off. We won't quote exact drink prices because they vary by boat, season and what you order, but the decision logic doesn't change.
| Pay per drink (onboard bar) | All-inclusive drinks package | |
|---|---|---|
| How you pay | You buy each drink onboard as you go | One set amount, then drinks are covered |
| Best for | Families, kids, light drinkers, short trips | Full-day trips, groups, steady drinkers |
| Cost control | Total is exactly what you order — no more | Fixed cost regardless of how much you drink |
| Risk | A thirsty day can add up quietly | You pay the same even on a quiet day |
| Typical fit | Little pirates and short dolphin runs | Disco-yacht nights and long island days |
Rule of thumb from our crews: if you'd drink more than a handful of items over the day, a package tends to win. If you're mainly there for the swimming and the scenery, pay per drink and keep control of your spend.
When a drinks package is genuinely worth it
Packages earn their keep on the longer, more social days. A disco-yacht night, from about EUR 48-68 per person to board, runs for hours and is built around the bar and the music — exactly the setting where steady drinking makes an unlimited option pay off. Island days such as Suluada, at roughly EUR 42-68 per person, are long enough that a package can also make sense if your group drinks throughout.
Ready to compare full-day options? Browse the departures on our trips leaving from Side and open each page to see whether a drinks package is offered and what the day includes.
When paying per drink is the smarter call
Short trips and family days almost always favour paying as you go. Our little pirates boat tour, from about EUR 20 per person, is aimed at kids and families where most of the bar spend is soft drinks and water — a package would rarely pay for itself. The same goes for shorter Side boat and dolphin runs at around EUR 20-25. On a Green Canyon freshwater cruise on the Oymapinar reservoir, from EUR 28 in Side and rising to EUR 54 from Antalya with the transfer distance, most guests are there for the calm lake and the swim stops rather than heavy drinking, so pay-on-board usually costs less.
How to check what your specific trip includes
Every trip is different, so we don't want you guessing. Each product page states the boat, the day, and whether drinks are pay-on-board or packaged. If a drinks package isn't mentioned, treat drinks as an onboard cost and budget for them separately. The live price and inclusions always sit on the individual tour page — for example our Suluada island boat trip from the Antalya side of the coast, or the Side dolphin island trip.
You book online and pay on the tour day. Guests are picked up from their hotel in the morning; the exact time is confirmed the day before and varies from hotel to hotel, so there's no fixed clock time we can print here.
Private boats and larger groups
Our private yachts and gulets are priced per boat on request, not per seat, so drinks arrangements are agreed as part of the charter rather than sold as a per-head package. If you're planning a private day for a group, the tour page is the place to ask how drinks are handled and to get a per-boat quote.
Frequently asked questions
Are drinks included in the boat trip ticket price in Side?
On most shared trips, no. The ticket covers the boat, crew and hotel transfer, and drinks are pay-on-board. Some trips offer an all-inclusive drinks package instead — the tour page tells you which applies.
How much does a drinks package cost on a boat trip?
We don't quote a fixed figure because it varies by boat, trip length and season. The reliable number is on the individual tour page. Use the comparison above to judge whether a package beats paying per drink for your group.
Is the drinks package unlimited?
When a trip is sold as an all-inclusive drinks day, drinks are covered for the duration onboard. Exactly what's covered is stated on that trip's page, so check there rather than assuming — if no package is listed, drinks are pay-on-board.
Can children get a cheaper drinks option?
On pay-per-drink trips you simply buy what your children actually drink, which usually means soft drinks and water — often the cheapest way to sail with kids. Family-oriented trips like the little pirates boat tour are built around this.
Do I pay for drinks when I book online?
No. You book online and pay for the trip itself on the tour day. Onboard drinks, whether pay-per-drink or a package, are settled as part of the day. The live trip price is always on the product page.
Book your boat trip
Whether a drinks package suits you or you'd rather pay per drink comes down to how long you're out and how much your group drinks — and the tour page always tells you which option each trip offers. Compare every departure, check the inclusions, and book directly on the page: see all our boat trips in Side and choose the day that fits.